DENSITY OF KINKS AFTER A QUENCH - WHEN SYMMETRY BREAKS, HOW BIG ARE THE PIECES

Numerical study of order parameter evolution in the course of symmetry breaking transitions with Landau-Ginzburg-like dynamics shows that th e density of topological defects, kinks which form during the quench, is proportional to the fourth root of its rate. This is a limited (1D) test of the more general theory of domain-size evolution in the cours e of symmetry breaking transformations proposed by one of us. Using th ese ideas, it is possible to compute the density of topological defect s from the quench time scale and from the equilibrium scaling of the c orrelation length and relaxation time near the critical point.